Improvement in refining iron



W. KELLY.

Refining Iron.

Patehted Dec. 22., 1857.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM KELLY, OF LYON COUNTY, KENTUOKY.

MPROVEMENT IN REFINING IRON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,910, dated December 22, 1857.

i to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consist-s in certain improvemcnts in the method of refining iron in the hearth of the blastfurnace, and in. the use of an additional refining-chamber as hereinafter to be described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I shall proceed to describe the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

In order to secure a certain and specdy de carbonization and refining of the iron in the hearth of the blast-furnace, I carry the blast down through the liquid mass of iron, nearly to the bottom of the hearth, by means of a tuyerepipe, instead of depending alone upon the penetrating force of the blast to accomplish its perfect distribution. By this arrangement the blast issues from the tuyerepipe at a point where it is compelled to miX with the metal, and the result is a perfect and rapid refinement of the iron. One tuyerc placed in the back stone or tymp is all that is necessary to refine theliquid iron contained in the hearth of the furnace, provided the blast is of sufficient Volume and strength to penetrate and distribute itself through the entire mass. In order to refine and decarbonize crude pig metal or iron in aliquid state, it is not always essential to blow blasts of air directly into it, for if two Vessels filled with liquid iron are placed contiguously, and communicating by means of a tapholc at the bottom, a blast of air driven into either one of them will cause the metal in both to part with its carbon and simultaneously to refine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurc l is a Vertical section through the center of the hearth of a blast-fnrnace. Fig. 2 is a back elevation showing permanent tuyere, &c.

In the drawings, A is the back stone or tymp,into which is fiXed permanently a tuyere, B. The tuyerepipe O is made tapering, and

enters the liquid iron in the hearth, and is coated over with clay to prevent its melting. Its Small end is stopped with clay to prevent the cinder and iron from cntering previous to letting on the blast. D is the dam of the hearth. E is the dam of the outside Chamber. F is the blowpipe communicating with the blowing-engine. Gr is the noteh in the back tymp, forming the Communication for the metal to run from the hearth to the outside chamber; H, the notch in the dam of the outside Chamber, and L is the outside chamber.

The tuyere B is permanently fixed in a circular Opening in the back tymp, made for the purp ose immediately above the tapping-notch that is in the center of the back stone or tymp, and immediately opposite the front tymp, K. and is so placed that When the hearth is full of iron the metal will come up to but not enter the said tuyere.

I am aware that it is impracticable to use a smelting-tuyere in the back stone or tymp; but for my refining tuyerc it is the right place.

Vhen the hearth is full of iron, or contains a snfiicient quantity to commence the process of rcfining, an entrance is made for the tuyerepipe O by cleaning the permanent tuyere B of its clay stopper and also of the stiff cinder accumnlated at its end in the hearth, to the eXtent only that the liquid cinder and metal will not break into said permanent tnyere B. The tuyere-pipe O is then fixed on a bar having shoulders to press against the large end of said pipe, and thrust into tnyerc B, and also through the soft cinder, nearly down to the bottom of the hearth into the liquid iron. The

tuyere-pipe G is then wedged fast into the permanent tuyere B, the end of the blow-pipe F is put into the tuyere-pipe O, and after being luted with clay at the connection the blast is let on. The clay stopper being removed, the blast is delivered into, through, and among the liquid iron, and so continued until the process of decarbonization and refining is completed. The furnace is then tapped, the blast stopped, and When themetal has all run from the hearth the bloW-pipe is taken out, and the tuyere-pipe O driven into the hearth. a clay stopper rammed into tuyere B, and the blast let onto the smeltingtuyercs, as usual.

Although the rcfining-tuyere is described above and shown n the drawngs as oocupy ing a certainpositon n the heartht may be placed in the auxlary Chamber, f desired, producng the same effeet.

If there s a sufficient amount of blast, the smelt-ing-tuyeres can be usedzat the same time that the refining-tuyeres are n operaton, so that the smelting and refining can go on at the same time.

For the pur pose of faclitatng the rapd clecarbonizaton of Crude iron, it s found neces- Sary to employ fluXes-sueh as forge-einder, (made from refined r0n,) limestone, and ron in can be put into the hearth at the dam before and durng the refinng operation.

Solid Crude pigron can be refined by inserting it into the liquicl mass in the hearth, Where it Will soon melt and undergo the re fining operatonwth that previously in the r hearth. Vhen the metal n the hearth begns to refine, it can be told by the gas or Smoke of a. peculiar color ssung from the staek or ehimney smultaneously With the metal beeomng White. The change in the color of the metal can be observed through the gla-ss in the permanent blaSt-pipe, looking down into the metal in the hearth. The degree of heat and Whiteness of the metal inereases to an n oandescent state, so as to be painful to the eyes. The gas or smokebecomes and continues of a reddish broWn color. After the metal has reached. the condition above deseribed, and has eontnued so \far from ten to forty minutes. The time depending on the strength and volume of the blast and the nature of the metal, (as to eXtent of ea-rbon,) it s sufficiently refined and may be let out, the metal n the outsde Chamber being in the same refined eonditon as that in the hearth, the process havng gene on, as above cleserbed, simultaneously n both.

Havng fully described the nature of my improvements, whatI elam as my nvention, and desre to Secure by Letters Patent, s-

1. Oonclueting the blast down through the liquid iron to near the bottom of the hearth by the tuyere-ppe O, substantially as and for the purposes deserbed.

2, Refining and deoarbonizing Crude iron simultaneously n the hearth of a blast-furnace and n an adjoinng Chamber having communieation therewith, When the blast enters (li-' rectly into but one of either of the chambers, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. V y

\VILLIAM KELLY. XVitnesses:

JNo. F. KELLY, JOHN G. JEFFERSON. 

